How many gigs does a comic have to do before they're any good?

Tom Rosenthal How many lives does a doctor have to save before they're any good?

Russell Kane Three years of three a week plus two Edinburghs. A degree, basically.

Roisin Conaty It's different for everyone. Some comics get to grips with the mechanics very quickly, but in terms of finding your voice it can take a while. Chris Rock said it takes 10 years.

Margaret Cho I think at least a hundred, if not more! It takes a bit of time and lots of dedication – and intense humiliation for a while – to get going.

Jack Whitehall The more the better. It's frustrating at the beginning but you can't cheat it; stage time is the most important thing for anyone that wants to get good at stand-up!

Sam Simmons I honestly still don't know. Something has to be said for being match fit and ready, but you don't want to come across as an overconfident auntie or uncle at Christmas dinner.

Angelos Epithemiou I dunno. For me I just got stuck in and people threw stuff at me and I was happy with that, so it's just a case of what you're prepared to take from the audience. I don't mind people chucking stuff but other people don't like it.

What's the worst thing about Edinburgh?

Tom Rosenthal

TR The never-ending plight to find fibre.

RK Lack of air conditioning.

RC The smell of Weetabix in the air from all the breweries, the limitless hope and bottomless cynicism, and the panic attacks when you realise how much it is costing you to be there.

MC Sunday morning about 4am, when people are limping home drunk trying not to fall into the pools of pizza vomit that you find one block from pizza places.

JW The hours. You leave Edinburgh feeling jetlagged. Because there's so many late night gigs and shows to do, so much staying up and drinking, by the end of it your whole mind and body feels battered.

SS The lack of good vegetarian places to eat, and those terrifying giant seagulls.

AE It's miles away.

Which is better: panel show or gig?

TR A good panel show is better than a bad gig. A good gig is better than a good panel show.

RK Totally depends. A pub gig to violent bastards can ruin the orthodoxy of "live is best".

RC Gig.

MC Gig! Always!

JW Without doubt a gig, I can't think of a comic that would say differently; it's spontaneous and exciting – what stand-up should be about. Panel shows can be fun but never even close to a live show.

SS Definitely gig, panel shows can be over-competitive and aggressive. Like that midway point at the pub when everyone is nearly very pissed.

AE Depends what you like I suppose. I like shows about cooking. Does that help?

What always gets a laugh?

Roisin Conaty

TR Anything pejorative about Adrian Chiles.

RK Pain.

RC A heart-searingly painful story of utter humiliation cracks me up every time. Or when cats fall off something.

Who's your comic inspiration?

MC I love Joan Rivers. I saw her at the fringe last time I came! She was incredible; 76 years old and still as filthy and hilarious as ever.

JW I met Jack Dee, who I'd admired for years, when I was 15. I was outside the dentist with my mum and I went up to him to say hello. Years later when I first worked with him I told him this and he remembered meeting me and that my mum had been driving a scooter. It meant so much!

SS My best mate from high school, Stuart Peevor. And that John Cleese guy is pretty good.

AE Kenny, and Terry and Barry ... all very funny blokes, although Barry has gone missing now.

Who's the most underrated comedian?

Jack Whitehall

TR Me.

RK Celia Pacquola.

RC Benny Boot and Al Stick. But both are doing Edinburgh shows this year, so that should change!

MC French & Saunders were and are the greatest! So powerfully funny and influential, I love them. When sketch comedy is discussed it's often about the men, but these ladies were truly the best.

JW For me, without a shadow of a doubt, John Gordillo; he was the reason I started doing it. Seeing his early sets I was amazed; he's a great comic and tragically overlooked by many.

SS I really love Nick Sun, he's an Australian now living in London – dark, silly and anarchic.

AE My mate Kenny; he makes me laugh like the drain. You should see his face, he's a right mess.

Can you sum up your approach to comedy in one word?

TR Yes.

RK Fearful.

RC Messy.

MC Incrimination.

JW Bland? Lazy? Either that or "ground-breaking".

SS Awkwardly.

AE Mucking about and stuff.

Can you make one predicition for what will happen at Edinburgh this year?

Angelos Epithemiou

TR I will not maintain my sanity during the fringe.

RK Someone heretofore overlooked will blow us away.

RC No, it's a magical place where anything can happen. I know that shows will succeed, shows will flop, hearts will be broken, friends will be made. People will see shows that blow their minds and shows written by people whose minds are obviously blown.

MC Unprotected sex leading to awkward conversations backstage. Not for me, however. I just know this is what happens at festivals with lots of attractive creative hipsters.

JW I will be roped in to going to see a school friend's play with a ridiculous name like John Fashanu: The Musical, have to sit through an unintelligible hour of weird theatre, then have a drink with them after and pretend I understood it.

SS I won't climb Arthur's Seat again.

AE This year's Edinburgh? Has it changed from last year's Edinburgh? Are there new buildings? What a ridiculous question.

What is the funniest word in the world?

TR Lizard.

RK Defenestration.

RC Scrotum.

MC I like "regurgitate". I like saying it more than doing it. Like sex.

SS "Trundle bed" for me with "nannawank" not far behind.

AE Abra Kebabra.

Describe your ideal audience member

Russell Kane

TR Discerning, critical, pretentious and stupid.

RK Low expectations.

RC Tall, dark, massive ears, massive eyes, and a tiny mouth used only for laughing. Basically, an alien.

MC Gay, political, progressive!

JW One that will sleep with me.

SS Willing to go with me.

AE A pensioner who nods off, cos then I don't have to worry about them.

The Edinburgh Fringe festival kicks off on Friday. To get in the mood, each day this week we will be looking at a different aspect of the city, kicking off with some of the literary hot spots that have inspired writers such as Ian Rankin and JK Rowling